A few weeks ago, while I was in a pharmacy in Egg Harbor Township on one of the hottest days of the summer yet, an Egg Harbor Township police officer came inside trying to find the owner of a vehicle that contained a dog inside suffering from what appeared to be heatstroke. I have to give a huge shout-out to a job well done by Patrolman Alek Pahang (who happens to be one of my favorite dog’s, Jetta’s, dad) for his patience with the owner, who quite frankly did not want to lose her place in line and did not want to run to her car or check on her dog. In the interest of helping the dog first and dealing with the owner’s poor choice of leaving her dog locked inside a vehicle on a hot day, Alek took her keys and immediately provided the dog with relief from the heat. Great job to Alek and the other Egg Harbor Township police officers who responded and, quite frankly, saved this dog’s life.
I feel like people should not have to be told to not leave dogs, or, god forbid, children, inside locked cars during the heat. Yet every summer, tragic deaths resulting from doing so are constantly reported. 31 states have laws in place to prevent dogs from being left in hot cars that range from an actual ban on leaving your dog unattended in a locked vehicle with windows up to laws that protect police officers and citizens who break a vehicle’s windows to help a dog in distress inside.
The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that cracking a window does very little to negate the inside of a vehicle heating up. Vehicles with cracked windows heat up at the same rate as the windows being all the way up. Even on a 70-degree day, the inside of a car can reach temperatures of 100 degrees in just over 20 minutes. Even if you think that you will only be inside a store for a minute, unless the vehicle is running with the air conditioning on, there is no reason for your dog to be left inside. Cars turn into an oven so quickly.
The early signs of heatstroke are heavy panting, excessive drooling, dry mucous membranes, an elevated heart rate, and a bright red tongue and gums. If the exposure to the heat continues, dogs will show signs of shock, which may include white or blue gums, muscle spasms, and a drop in blood pressure.
First aid for heat stroke should be gradual and not sudden. Remove the dog from the heat and gradually attempt to cool them down to prevent further shock. Do not plunge them in cold water! Such a sudden shift from overheating to cold exposure can cause further damage. Instead, apply a cloth soaked in cool water to cool their belly area and fan them slowly.
Heatstroke can cause permanent damage to your dog and even result in death. If I suspected one of my dogs had heatstroke, I would absolutely be making a trip to an emergency room to make sure that the dog’s body temperature has come down to acceptable levels and that there is no damage to vital organs. Heatstroke is a serious medical emergency for a dog.
Prevention is the best medicine for heatstroke. Some dogs will stay outside and play in the heat with very little ability to protect themselves from it. During days of excessive heat, keep visits outside to play short and sweet. Save outdoor playtime for either early mornings or evenings. And please, do not leave your dogs in your cars during the summer months.
If you have any questions, please email me at heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
